Was intimidated and scared to bowl doosra against Sachin, recalls Saqlain Mushtaq

The Chennai Test between India and Pakistan in 1999 is considered to be one of the best matches between the two sides in the history of their rivalry and while it did give birth to the famous ‘Knowledgeable Chennai Crowd’ term, it also featured a bunch of classic sub-plots. One such sub-plot was between Saqlain Mushtaq and Sachin Tendulkar on the final day of the match, which saw each man hold key to taking their team to victories.

“I conceded a few boundaries, but eventually, got him out. Sachin had sharp eyes and he could read everything. It was intimidating. You wouldn’t believe, but I was scared to bowl him the doosra -- fearing that he might hit boundaries,” Mushtaq was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

The 43-year-old, who represented Pakistan in 49 Tests and 169 ODIs, revealed it was Wasim Akram who instilled self-belief in him and helped him fight his demons. 

“He (Wasim Akram) told me that he had full faith in me and he believed that I could do something magical for the team. Those words helped and I suddenly felt stronger."

“Touring India was always fun. People were hospitable. You could go out shopping or visit restaurants for Hyderabadi biryani and people won’t accept money. Such was the gesture. But on the field, we knew we could not afford to lose.”